


And Then He Kissed Her

by prophet_of_troy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Love Confessions, Remus Lupin Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:08:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28237455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prophet_of_troy/pseuds/prophet_of_troy
Summary: Hermione didn't think anyone could hate Christmas until Remus, but she intends to change that.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Remus Lupin
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12
Collections: FoTR's 2020 Secret Santa Drabble Exchange





	And Then He Kissed Her

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kristeristerin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kristeristerin/gifts).



Hermione wasn’t nervous or anything, standing on the stool and hanging the last of the ornaments from her parent’s attic. Or, maybe she was just a little; only because she’d never seen Remus more adamant about anything than he was about hating Christmas.

_ “How can you  _ hate _ Christmas?” She’d exclaimed, smiling and thinking he was joking. Or exaggerating.  _

_ “I just do, Hermione! Let it go!”  _

_ He’d never shouted at her before, or really anyone that she’d heard of, and the surprise of it shocked her enough to plant her feet before she could run after him.  _

She’d seen photos in Harry’s scrapbook of Lily and the Marauders at Christmas, and Remus’ smile in them said he’d loved the holiday once upon a time. And she could firmly remember his grin that Christmas they spent with Sirius. 

She could surmise that his hatred might be sprung from those years he spent alone that no one talked about. She doubted that he had celebrated or decorated at all those years.

She had this vain hope that if  _ she _ did she could pull him into the Christmas spirit with her. And out of that self loathing hole he’d fallen down so long ago, without any way of knowing how dark it was or how deep it went.

Hermione could close her eyes and remember the light from the windows on the snow and the music pouring from the house. She could see the furniture moved and her parents dancing in the made space. She remembered curling up in her favorite chair with whatever new book she’d received for Christmas, watching them over the cover with a smile. 

She just wanted to see Remus smile. 

The ladder rocked underneath her before another set of hands steadied it. 

Remus.

He looked pained, the colored lights dancing in his eyes as he gazed up at her. 

“Hermione, you promised.”

“I know,” she said as she climbed down. “I lied. I thought I’d try everything before I give up and let you keep living without hope or cheer.”

His face tired and drawn, he looked at her with an expression she’d never seen on him. It wasn’t angry. Not quite. Like he wanted to be, but was too tired to find the emotion. He grimaced and turned away from her, rubbing his hand harshly over his face. 

“Hermione.”

She waited. He looked like he might say what she’d been waiting to hear, but he seemed to change his mind and she clenched her jaw tight to keep herself from saying it for him. 

“Do what you want, Hermione. I think I’m going for a walk. Don’t wait for me.”

The door slammed, leaving the empty house behind him feeling emptier and darker than it had since they'd moved into Grimmauld Place together with Harry. The only light was from the tree, and Hermione looked at it with her eyes and her face burning.

This was stupid. 

Remus had said he didn’t want to celebrate Christmas, and he had the right. But the thought of him spending the rest of his life hating the holiday, hating himself because of the past made her sick. 

Him angry with her made her sick.

This was easier as a child, when there wasn’t anything that could be wrong the joy of Christmas couldn’t cure. 

Hermione strode down the front hallway, picking up speed and throwing the door open before running out into the snow with bare feet. He was there, walking away with his back to her.

“HEY!” Remus turned to her in surprise, but she didn’t stop marching towards him. “You don’t get to just walk away from me like that instead of having a conversation! If you’re upset, tell me, but don’t just leave.”

“I don’t know what else there is to say, Hermione. You know how I feel about it.”

“You’re right, I do. I also know there was a time when you loved it.”

Remus averted his gaze and took a step away from her. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

Hermione stepped closer again, not letting him hide. “I do.”

“Merlin, Hermione! Why is this so important to you?!”

“Because I love you,” she blurted. She tried to make it sound like she wasn’t afraid. Like she meant for that to come out. “It’s important to me because I love you and I want you to be happy, and this isn’t happy.”

Remus stared at her before he took her hand in his. His hand was warm. She glanced down, and her heart stopped beating.

“I love you too.”

Hermione looked up at him. He was closer than before and her heart kickstarted itself, beating faster than before. “You do?”

He smiled, a small smile. “I do.”

And then he kissed her.


End file.
